Tom Cornish wins one kilometre time trial title at Australian Track Cycling Championships

Podium: Tom Cornish won his maiden individual national title in Brisbane at the weekend. Picture: John Veage

Southern Cross Cycling Club’s Tom Cornish won his maiden individual national title with a rousing win in the under-19s time trial at Brisbane’s Anna Meares Velodrome.

“I’m absolutely stoked. I was coming into this championships hoping for a result like this but I was a bit shocked at the time with how fast I was,” said Cornish after winning his fourth championship medal of the week.

Cornish, from Menai, also grabbed gold in the team sprint on the opening day, sprint silver and keirin bronze.

Final: Tom Cornish finishes with four medals from the Australian Championships. Picture: John Veage

“It’s pretty good, this is my first individual gold in the under-19s category so it’s a big one for me and it's really important.”

He was favorite for the under-19s men’s sprint after posting the fastest qualifying time which was decided on Friday evening with South Australia’s Leigh Hoffman taking the title in an upset.

“I am fairly happy. Obviously I was looking for the gold. I was pretty close in the end and it was just good riding around,” he said.

A great sprint prospect for the future in the NSW team, Cornish was mentored by Sutherland Shire’s former sprint world champion Sean Eadie.

“Sean was my coach for two years. Unfortunately he got a new job overseas so he hasn’t been coaching us lately but he did play a big role in my upbringing and mentoring up to this level. So he’s been a role model for me,” he said.

Meanwhile, St George Cycling Club’s Kaarle McCulloch wound back the clock in Brisbane on Friday to surge to a sixth time trial and 13th national title in a near personal-best time.

Just days after celebrating her 30th birthday, McCulloch laid down her third best ever time – only bettered by her two rides at the Oceania Championships in November – to win gold in the 500m time trial.

“I wanted that so badly,” said McCulloch, who won five national titles in the event between 2008 and 2013.

“To be able to execute as well as what I did, and in the time that I did, I am really excited. I am so buggered right now, to go that fast, on this track especially, it really has given me a lot of confidence.”

Another St George star likely to earn Commonwealth Games selection is Ashlee Ankudinoff, who put in a determined performance to prevail in her race against the clock.

The Menai cyclist executed her pre-race plan to perfection as she rode to a gold medal in Sunday’s individual pursuit Australian final.

“It’s been a few years since I won the individual pursuit and every year I come here hungry for it,” she said after winning her second title in three years.